Orion program deep into production, processing and testing for EFT-1

[ScienceRocks]

Orion program deep into production, processing and testing for EFT-1

July 16th, 2012 by Chris Bergin
After a somewhat unhappy childhood, that included an abrupt and costly cancellation, the Orion program is now full speed ahead for its Exploration Flight Test (EFT-1). The Orion tasked with the 2014 mission is now being outfitted in Florida, as adaptor hardware related to EFT-1 – and its debut on the Space Launch System (SLS) – heads towards production.


Orion Progress:

The recent arrival of the EFT-1 Orion at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) was a key milestone ahead of its flight atop of a Delta IV-H from Cape Canaveral.

The team at the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans completed their work with the final closeout weld activities on the EFT-1 flight vehicle structure, all without any major production issues on the new vehicle. The final weld joined the cone to the barrel, which completed the pressure vessel structure of the spacecraft.


The entire construction was completed in less than a year, earning the Orion EFT-1 Crew Module Welding Team a Space Flight Awareness (SFA) award for their efforts.

Following welding operations, the vehicle was shipped to KSC for final assembly and systems outfitting for flight inside the revamped Operations and Checkout (O&C) building.

This building will serve the Orion fleet – in a similar fashion to how the Orbiter Processing Facilities (OPFs) housed the Space Shuttle orbiters – ahead of their rollout to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for integration processing with the Space Launch System (SLS).

Engineers have also been seen working on an Orion mock up inside the VAB, using it to test and validate Ground Support Equipment (GSE) “attach and lifting” procedures.

For EFT-1, the Orion will roll to the nearby Cape Canaveral for integration with the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV-H.

Click here for Orion articles: Orion | NASASpaceFlight.com
Orion program deep into production, processing and testing for EFT-1 | NASASpaceFlight.com

Why does it take to 2020 to have a man mission on one of these?

 

[ScienceRocks]

NASA Completes Another Orion Parachute Testby Staff Writers
Washington DC (SPX) Jul 23, 2012

The Orion team loads a test version of the spacecraft into a C-17 in preparation for a parachute drop test at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. The main objective of the latest drop test is to determine how the entire system would respond if one of the three main parachutes inflated too quickly. Photo credit: NASA.


NASA completed another successful test Wednesday of the Orion crew vehicle's parachutes high above the Arizona desert in preparation for the spacecraft's orbital flight test in 2014. Orion will carry astronauts deeper into space than ever before, provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and ensure a safe re-entry and landing.

A C-17 plane dropped a test version of Orion from an altitude of 25,000 feet above the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground in southwestern Arizona. This test was the second to use an Orion craft that mimics the full size and shape of the spacecraft.

Orion's drogue chutes were deployed between 15,000 feet and 20,000 feet, followed by the pilot parachutes, which deployed the main landing parachutes. Orion descended about 25 feet per second, well below its maximum designed touchdown speed, when it landed on the desert floor.

"Across the country, NASA and industry are moving forward on the most advanced spacecraft ever designed, conducting drop and splashdown tests, preparing ground systems, designing software and computers and paving the way for the future of exploration," said William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

"Today's parachute test in Yuma is an important reminder of the progress being made on Orion and its ultimate mission - enabling NASA to meet the goal of sending humans to an asteroid and Mars."

Orion parachutes have so-called reefing lines, which when cut by a pyrotechnic device, allow the parachute to open gradually, managing the initial amount of drag and force on the parachute.

The main objective of the latest drop test was to determine how the entire system would respond if one of the reefing lines was cut prematurely, causing the three main parachutes to inflate too quickly.

Since 2007, the Orion program has conducted a vigorous parachute air and ground test program and provided the chutes for NASA's successful pad abort test in 2010. All of the tests build an understanding of the chutes' technical performance for eventual human-rated certification.

In 2014, an uncrewed Orion spacecraft will launch from Cape

NASA Completes Another Orion Parachute Test

 

[Two Thumbs]

Orion program deep into production, processing and testing for EFT-1

July 16th, 2012 by Chris Bergin
After a somewhat unhappy childhood, that included an abrupt and costly cancellation, the Orion program is now full speed ahead for its Exploration Flight Test (EFT-1). The Orion tasked with the 2014 mission is now being outfitted in Florida, as adaptor hardware related to EFT-1 – and its debut on the Space Launch System (SLS) – heads towards production.


Orion Progress:

The recent arrival of the EFT-1 Orion at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) was a key milestone ahead of its flight atop of a Delta IV-H from Cape Canaveral.

The team at the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans completed their work with the final closeout weld activities on the EFT-1 flight vehicle structure, all without any major production issues on the new vehicle. The final weld joined the cone to the barrel, which completed the pressure vessel structure of the spacecraft.


The entire construction was completed in less than a year, earning the Orion EFT-1 Crew Module Welding Team a Space Flight Awareness (SFA) award for their efforts.

Following welding operations, the vehicle was shipped to KSC for final assembly and systems outfitting for flight inside the revamped Operations and Checkout (O&C) building.

This building will serve the Orion fleet – in a similar fashion to how the Orbiter Processing Facilities (OPFs) housed the Space Shuttle orbiters – ahead of their rollout to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for integration processing with the Space Launch System (SLS).

Engineers have also been seen working on an Orion mock up inside the VAB, using it to test and validate Ground Support Equipment (GSE) “attach and lifting” procedures.

For EFT-1, the Orion will roll to the nearby Cape Canaveral for integration with the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV-H.

Click here for Orion articles: Orion | NASASpaceFlight.com
Orion program deep into production, processing and testing for EFT-1 | NASASpaceFlight.com

Why does it take to 2020 to have a man mission on one of these?

Safety first.

An "oops" on earth is a "Holy Shit We Are All Going Two Die!!" in space.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Orion program deep into production, processing and testing for EFT-1

July 16th, 2012 by Chris Bergin
After a somewhat unhappy childhood, that included an abrupt and costly cancellation, the Orion program is now full speed ahead for its Exploration Flight Test (EFT-1). The Orion tasked with the 2014 mission is now being outfitted in Florida, as adaptor hardware related to EFT-1 – and its debut on the Space Launch System (SLS) – heads towards production.


Orion Progress:

The recent arrival of the EFT-1 Orion at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) was a key milestone ahead of its flight atop of a Delta IV-H from Cape Canaveral.

The team at the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans completed their work with the final closeout weld activities on the EFT-1 flight vehicle structure, all without any major production issues on the new vehicle. The final weld joined the cone to the barrel, which completed the pressure vessel structure of the spacecraft.


The entire construction was completed in less than a year, earning the Orion EFT-1 Crew Module Welding Team a Space Flight Awareness (SFA) award for their efforts.

Following welding operations, the vehicle was shipped to KSC for final assembly and systems outfitting for flight inside the revamped Operations and Checkout (O&C) building.

This building will serve the Orion fleet – in a similar fashion to how the Orbiter Processing Facilities (OPFs) housed the Space Shuttle orbiters – ahead of their rollout to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for integration processing with the Space Launch System (SLS).

Engineers have also been seen working on an Orion mock up inside the VAB, using it to test and validate Ground Support Equipment (GSE) “attach and lifting” procedures.

For EFT-1, the Orion will roll to the nearby Cape Canaveral for integration with the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV-H.

Click here for Orion articles: Orion | NASASpaceFlight.com
Orion program deep into production, processing and testing for EFT-1 | NASASpaceFlight.com

Why does it take to 2020 to have a man mission on one of these?

Safety first.

An "oops" on earth is a "Holy Shit We Are All Going Two Die!!" in space.

From 1960-1969, we went from launching the first man into space to the moon.(Mercury to Appolo). This nation is really starting to fall behind the rest of the world. China and Russia currently have more ability to get into space. Russia and the EU both have equal jet fighters in ability(euro-fighter). I'd hate russia slipping their new one to china in case of a war. Competes with the f-22.

India and Japan are advancing their programs too. We sure as hell won't have the most advance military on this planet in 10 years if we don't put more money into our technology programs like Drapa, nasa, JPL, ect. We DO NOT want China to get the military tech edge on us with their industry. They might kick our fucking ass.

 

[Care4all]

matthew, don't be silly...it would take all other countries another 100 years before they could ever match our military might............we spend more than the whole world combined on our Defense Budget.

 

[Two Thumbs]

Russia tried to out produce us

and lost, big time

If china tries the same, the results will be the same.

communism and socialism cannot out work capitalism, no matter how cheap the labor or how much money they spend.

Did you know that russias military was much much larger?

 

[ScienceRocks]

matthew, don't be silly...it would take all other countries another 100 years before they could ever match our military might............we spend more than the whole world combined on our Defense Budget.

As of now. In the future China has an ever increasing economy(second biggest on earth) that could shift a large part of their gdp towards their military to match ours. They have a huge industry and a population that loves to builds things.

Size doesn't really matter as iraq had a pretty big military. Technology has an ever increasing importance.

I think it is best we make peace with the Chinese.

 

[Care4all]

matthew, don't be silly...it would take all other countries another 100 years before they could ever match our military might............we spend more than the whole world combined on our Defense Budget.

As of now. In the future China has an ever increasing economy(second biggest on earth) that could shift a large part of their gdp towards their military to match ours. They have a huge industry and a population that loves to builds things.

Size doesn't really matter as iraq had a pretty big military. Technology has an ever increasing importance.

I think it is best we make peace with the Chinese.

1000 years ago China had the 2nd biggest economy on earth.
2000 years ago China had the 2nd largest economy on Earth

and now China has the second economy on Earth....

they haven't moved up the ladder to first and never have held first in 2000 years...their infrastructure and communism gets in the way, I suppose?

It ain't gonna happen Matthew....we may reach bottom on all other categories, but our military and defense won't be one of them...the world has a very very very very long way to go, to EVER catch up with us....

 

[RoadVirus]

matthew, don't be silly...it would take all other countries another 100 years before they could ever match our military might............we spend more than the whole world combined on our Defense Budget.

Not if they steal our technology like China does frequently.

 

[ScienceRocks]

If we get into a war with China. Russia may hand them the designs or this.

Russia's new fighter
Sukhoi PAK FA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 2+, 2,100-2,600 km/h[95][97][99] (1,300-1,560 mph) ; at 17,000 m (45,000 ft) altitude
Cruise speed: 1,300-1,800 km/h[97] (808-1,118 mph)
Ferry range: 5,500 km[61] (3,417 mi)
Service ceiling: 20,000 m (65,600 ft)
Rate of climb: 350 m/s (68,900 ft/min)
Wing loading: 330-470 kg/m2 (67-96 lb/ft2)
Thrust/weight: 1.19[95]

Maximum g-load: 9+ g[95]

Heres our best---The f-22 Raptor
Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Performance

Maximum speed:

At altitude: Mach 2.25 (1,500 mph, 2,410 km/h) [estimated][140]
Supercruise: Mach 1.82 (1,220 mph, 1,963 km/h)[140]
Range: >1,600 nmi (1,840 mi, 2,960 km) with 2 external fuel tanks
Combat radius: 410 nmi (with 100 nmi in supercruise) [304] (471 mi, 759 km)
Ferry range: 2,000 mi (1,738 nmi, 3,219 km)
Service ceiling: 65,000 ft (Currently restricted to 44,000 ft, sans vests)[309] (19,812 m)
Wing loading: 77 lb/ft² (375 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 1.09 (1.26 with loaded weight & 50% fuel)

Maximum design g-load: -3.0/+9.0 g[140]


With China's industry, I could see our 200 rapters being topped in a matter of weeks. This doesn't make me feel very good that their fighters can compete with ours.

I think it's time to get out of the middle east and shift some more of our defense funding into Darpa. Maybe nasa too.

 

[uscitizen]

matthew, don't be silly...it would take all other countries another 100 years before they could ever match our military might............we spend more than the whole world combined on our Defense Budget.

As of now. In the future China has an ever increasing economy(second biggest on earth) that could shift a large part of their gdp towards their military to match ours. They have a huge industry and a population that loves to builds things.

Size doesn't really matter as iraq had a pretty big military. Technology has an ever increasing importance.

I think it is best we make peace with the Chinese.

Especially since we get quite a bit of the components for our "advanced" military hardware from China...

 

[CrusaderFrank]

USAF has a manned (secret) space shuttle

 

[uscitizen]

If we get into a war with China. Russia may hand them the designs or this.

Russia's new fighter
Sukhoi PAK FA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 2+, 2,100-2,600 km/h[95][97][99] (1,300-1,560 mph) ; at 17,000 m (45,000 ft) altitude
Cruise speed: 1,300-1,800 km/h[97] (808-1,118 mph)
Ferry range: 5,500 km[61] (3,417 mi)
Service ceiling: 20,000 m (65,600 ft)
Rate of climb: 350 m/s (68,900 ft/min)
Wing loading: 330-470 kg/m2 (67-96 lb/ft2)
Thrust/weight: 1.19[95]

Maximum g-load: 9+ g[95]

Heres our best---The f-22 Raptor
Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Performance

Maximum speed:

At altitude: Mach 2.25 (1,500 mph, 2,410 km/h) [estimated][140]
Supercruise: Mach 1.82 (1,220 mph, 1,963 km/h)[140]
Range: >1,600 nmi (1,840 mi, 2,960 km) with 2 external fuel tanks
Combat radius: 410 nmi (with 100 nmi in supercruise) [304] (471 mi, 759 km)
Ferry range: 2,000 mi (1,738 nmi, 3,219 km)
Service ceiling: 65,000 ft (Currently restricted to 44,000 ft, sans vests)[309] (19,812 m)
Wing loading: 77 lb/ft² (375 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 1.09 (1.26 with loaded weight & 50% fuel)

Maximum design g-load: -3.0/+9.0 g[140]


With China's industry, I could see our 200 rapters being topped in a matter of weeks. This doesn't make me feel very good that their fighters can compete with ours.

I think it's time to get out of the middle east and shift some more of our defense funding into Darpa. Maybe nasa too.

Give it another 10 years and China will be making our raptors for us.

We no longer have the industrial might to win a war like WW2.

 

[uscitizen]

USAF has a manned (secret) space shuttle

DAMN! Now I will have to shoot you!

 

[Care4all]

If we get into a war with China. Russia may hand them the designs or this.

Russia's new fighter
Sukhoi PAK FA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 2+, 2,100-2,600 km/h[95][97][99] (1,300-1,560 mph) ; at 17,000 m (45,000 ft) altitude
Cruise speed: 1,300-1,800 km/h[97] (808-1,118 mph)
Ferry range: 5,500 km[61] (3,417 mi)
Service ceiling: 20,000 m (65,600 ft)
Rate of climb: 350 m/s (68,900 ft/min)
Wing loading: 330-470 kg/m2 (67-96 lb/ft2)
Thrust/weight: 1.19[95]

Maximum g-load: 9+ g[95]

Heres our best---The f-22 Raptor
Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Performance

Maximum speed:

At altitude: Mach 2.25 (1,500 mph, 2,410 km/h) [estimated][140]
Supercruise: Mach 1.82 (1,220 mph, 1,963 km/h)[140]
Range: >1,600 nmi (1,840 mi, 2,960 km) with 2 external fuel tanks
Combat radius: 410 nmi (with 100 nmi in supercruise) [304] (471 mi, 759 km)
Ferry range: 2,000 mi (1,738 nmi, 3,219 km)
Service ceiling: 65,000 ft (Currently restricted to 44,000 ft, sans vests)[309] (19,812 m)
Wing loading: 77 lb/ft² (375 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 1.09 (1.26 with loaded weight & 50% fuel)

Maximum design g-load: -3.0/+9.0 g[140]


With China's industry, I could see our 200 rapters being topped in a matter of weeks. This doesn't make me feel very good that their fighters can compete with ours.

I think it's time to get out of the middle east and shift some more of our defense funding into Darpa. Maybe nasa too.

we have on the book plans for a MACH 10 jet, to reach any place in the world in less than an hour by 2020, or maybe it was by 2030....heard this on the history channel....!!! It's already in the works!